On this day (December 10) in 1996, Faron Young died by suicide at the age of 64. Before his tragic death, Young recorded a long list of honky tonk classics, including “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’),” “Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young,” and the Willie Nelson-penned “Hello Walls.”
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By the time Young was 19 years old, he was a regular on the Louisiana Hayride. He also released a handful of singles for the Philadelphia-based Gotham Records. Then, in 1952, he signed a deal with Capitol Records and, later that year, moved to Nashville. That fall, he released “Goin’ Steady,” which became his first charting single. It peaked at No. 2 on the country chart.
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According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Young was drafted into the Army in November 1952. While serving, he performed in recruitment programs and continued his recording career. He was discharged in 1954, as “If You Ain’t Lovin’ (You Ain’t Livin’)” was climbing the chart. This marked the beginning of the most successful period of his career.
The next two decades saw Young release hit after hit. However, after the end of the 1970s, his chart success began to fade. The country music industry was moving away from honky tonk and other traditional-sounding music in favor of pop-tinged productions. Then, in the 1990s, Southern rock influences started to bleed into the genre. Soon, Young’s music was relegated to the “oldies” section of the record store, and contemporary stations stopped spinning his sides.
Faron Young’s Tragic End
Faron Young helped bolster the careers of multiple artists, including Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, and Patsy Cline. He also founded the Music City News magazine, which gave fans information about the music and artists they loved. However, in the mid-1990s, he felt as though Music Row had left him in its dust. At the same time, his health was declining.
According to a news report, Young’s suicide note stated that a combination of his failing health and flagging career led him to end his life.
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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